Rotating amusement device



Dec. 2, 1969 I JOHNSON 3,481,599

ROTATING AMUSEMENT DEVI CE Filed June 9, 1966 ZZZ-.15

RALPH H. JOHNSON INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,481,599 ROTATING AMUSEMENT DEVICE Ralph H. Johnson, 2301 Goldenrod, Fort Worth, Tex. 76114 Filed June 9, 1966, Ser. No. 556,315 Int. Cl. A63g 1/12 US. Cl. 27233 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to amusement devices and has reference to that type of apparatus wherein a rider causes an inclined support to revolve by shifting his weight above and below the axis of rotation.

Amusement devices such as referred to are usually operated by one person in a kneeling position, but two persons may ride in back to back position by shifting their weight. Normally, the rider mounts the inclined support, which is freely rotatable, in a kneeling position over the axis of rotation and places his feet on a lower portion of the support and grasps the upper portion with his hands. Then, by raising the center of gravity of his body relative to the axis and moving at least slightly to one side the support is caused to rotate. Continued synchronized action keeps the support rotating, and change of timing of the body action will cause the rotation to accelerate or decelerate.

The primary object of the present invention is to add interest to amusement devices such as referred to by making the axis of rotation flexible.

Another object of the invention is to provide a rotating amusement device which is easier to manipulate by reason of its flexible support.

A further object is to provide a rotating amusement device of the described class which is conveniently adjustable to fit persons of different sizes.

A further object is to adapt a hand operated brake to an amusement device of the described class.

These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of an amusement device according to the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of FIGURE 1 and showing a rider mounted thereon.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged broken elevational and sectional view showing the spindle of the body support rotatably received in a tubular bearing which, in turn, is mounted on the legs of the device.

FIGURE 4 is a broken perspective view illustrating the adjustment means of the handle bar in the spar which is a part of the body support.

FIGURE 5 is a broken perspective showing a brake applied to the amusement device, and

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged broken elevational and sectional view showing an exemplary brake construction.

In the drawing, the body support is indicated by the numeral 10 and includes an inclined but generally horizontal tubular spar 11 having a handle bar 12 and a foot bar 13 extending through its ends. The handle bar 12 and foot bar 13 are received in line drilled open- 3,481,599 Patented Dec. 2, 1969 "ice ings 14 in the sides of the spar 11 and are secured in place by screws 15. See FIGURE 4. Near the longitudinal center of the spar 11, and on the side thereof including the foot bar 13, there is a rectangular platform 16 supported on two parallel bars 17 extending through transverse holes 14 in the spar. As shown in FIGURE 2, there is another pair of holes 14 on the other side of the center of the spar 11 for receiving addition parallel bar 17 and supporting another, platform, such as 16, whereby two riders may sit back to back with their feet on the handle bar 12 and the foot bar 13. The platform 16 may be detachably secured to the bars 17 by any suitable means such as spring clips, not shown.

At the center of the spar 11 there is a depending shouldered spindle 18 which is rotatably received in a tubular bearing 19. A circular groove 20 in the spindle 18 and a set screw 21 in the bearing 19 engaging the groove rotatably secure the spindle in place. The shoulder a of the spindle 18 turns on the upper end of the tubular bearing 19, but it is to be understood that other bearing arrangements may be used.

A feature of the invention is directed to the flexible bowed legs 22 which are crossed asymmetrically of their centers. The legs 22 are leaf springs and, as best shown in FIGURE 3, are secured relative to each other by a plate 23 above their intersection. The plate 23 also supports the lower end of the tubular bearing 19 which is welded in place. Bolts 24 extend through the plate 23 and through the legs 22 on opposite sides of their intersection, and the bottom of the plate bears against the upper surface of the upper crossed leg. Because the legs 22 are bowed, tubular spacers 25 are provided around the bolts 24 between the plate 23 and the legs. By reason of location of the bearing 19 above the asymmetric intersection of the legs 22. the body support 10 rotates in a plane at an angle with reference to horizontal. This angle may be varied further by using tubular spacers 25 of different lengths.

The hand brake illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6 is optional and the exemplary construction shown is of the type which applies the brake when a hand grip 26 is released. The hand grip 26 shown is the same as mounted on the handle bars of some bicycles but in the present case is mounted on the handle bar 12 of the described amusement device. A flexible cable 27 extends through a casing 28 to a collar 29 mounted on the large diameter of the shouldered spindle 18. A depending skirt 30 around the collar 29 receives the upper portion of the stationary tubular bearing 19, and a laterally extending cylinder 31 receives a piston 32. The outer end of the piston 32 is connected with the inner end of the cable 27, and a compression spring 33 in the outer end of the cylinder 31 normally presses the inner end of the piston against the stationary bearing 19. p

In operation, the rider mounts the body support 10 in the manner described in the foregoing and shifts his body as therein set forth. By reason of the flexible mounting of the axis of rotation, the shifting of the body to rotate the support 10 is made easier and at the same time the spring action lends interest to the operation of the device.

The invention is not limited to the exemplary construction herein shown and described, but may be made in various ways within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotating amusement device comprised of a body support having hand and feet engaging means at opposite ends thereof, and a freely rotatable spring mounted bearing assembly between the ends of said body support, the

axis of said bearing assembly being perpendicular to the length of said body support and at an angle with respect to the vertical whereby said body support Will rotate in a plane at an angle with respect to the horizontal and wherein said spring mounted bearing assembly includes crossed bowed spring legs supporting the remainder of the bearing assembly.

2. A rotating amusement device as defined in claim 1 and wherein said body support includes at least one platform between the ends thereof and its center.

3. A rotating amusement device as defined in claim I and including a brake carried by said body support and positioned for making braking contact with a stationary part of said bearing assembly.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ANTON 0. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner ARNOLD W. KRAMER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

